This content was provided by Sophie Austin, Site Manager at Findcourses.co.uk

 

Deciding what to do after University can be tricky, especially if you’re unsure what kind of career might be your best fit. Some factors to consider when choosing a career path might be:

• Hours (9 to 5, or shifts?)
• Office-based or travelling?
• Working closely with others, or more independently?
• Expected earnings

 

The Office of National Statistics releases figures each year on the average salary for over 400 jobs, delving into the details on wage per hour, per year and the potential for bonuses.

We’ve rounded up the average salaries for some of the most popular graduate jobs, so you can get a flavour of what you could potentially earn in these roles.

 

1.  Marketing Assistant

Marketing assistants’ roles are varied and they’re great for the creatively minded, as well as those who enjoy data analysis, as a marketeer will often need to dig into things like web statistics. A career in marketing could also lead to a specialism in a certain area (e.g. search engine optimisation).

 What’s the average salary?

Marketing assistants earn an average of £22,149 full-time and £11,674 part time per year. At the top of the career ladder, marketing directors earn an average of £93,967 per year.

All marketing professionals captured in the ONS report showed a yearly salary increase of roughly 3%. Across all roles surveyed, there was an average of 3.6% difference between men’s salaries and women’s salaries.

The male/female split for marketing assistants is 36% men, 64% women.

 

2.  Teaching Assistant

Teaching assistants work in the classroom to provide support for teachers and students. As a teaching assistant you might work closely with a pupil that needs additional help, or you may work with a whole class to help them understand a task or project. If you’re considering a teaching career and are unsure about pursuing a PGCE, becoming a teaching assistant is a great way to get a feel for the profession.

What’s the average salary?

Full-time teaching assistants earn an average of £16,292 full-time and £10,190 part-time. Educational support assistants (e.g. laboratory technicians in schools) earn a similar wage: £16,217 full-time and £9,553 part-time.

Wages for teaching assistants are also on the rise, going up by 2.9% in the past year. It’s estimated that the gender pay-gap between men and women working as teaching assistants is 1%, which is significantly lower than the UK national average of 9.3%.

The male/female split of teaching assistants is 8% male, 92% female.

 

3.  Web Developer

If you’re studying a degree in ICT, programming, coding or software, becoming a junior web developer will give you the opportunity to develop applications, code and redesign web structures so they are better suited for their users.

What’s the average salary?

Web designers earn an average salary of £32,878 and junior web developers £26,000 per year. Unsurprisingly in this digital age, the salaries of junior and senior web developers are on the rise, increasing by roughly 1.7% year on year.

It’s estimated that the gender pay gap between men and women in these roles is 6.2%, which is below the national average of 9.3%.

The male/female split for roles in web development is 79% male, 21% female.

 

4.  Civil Service Fast Stream

The Civil Service Fast Stream teaches graduates the skills and knowledge required to move into senior leadership roles within the Civil Service. You’ll be placed in a department within the Civil Service and offered structured development.

Average salary: £28,000 starting salary. Once you’ve completed the scheme and are promoted, you will be earning on average between £45,000 and £55,000.

The male/female split for the civil service fast stream is 51.7% male, 48.3% female (in terms of successful applicants).

 

5.   Nursing

Nursing is a varied role that has a wealth of specialisations depending on your interests. 54% of nurses work in the NHS, compared with 37% in private and acute primary care.

Average salary: A nurse’s starting salary tends to be between £22,128 and £28,746 at Band 5 (not including a London supplement.) Throughout your career, the average salary for nurses is £32,388 full-time and £16,800 part-time

The gender pay gap for nurses in full-time work is 0%, which means that men and women earn the same per hour. Part-time the figure is slightly different, with women earning 2.1% less than men.

Male/Female Split: 14% male, 86% female

 

6.  Risk Analyst

A risk analyst looks at a company’s investment portfolio and analyses the risks involved in financial and commercial decisions. This role requires a high level of analytical skills, and often the risk analyst will make recommendations to limit the potential risk for their company.

Average salary: Junior risk analyst salaries start around £30,500 per year. After 3 to 5 years’ experience, salaries can increase to between £41,000 and £57,000 per year.  Senior Risk Analysts can earn an average of £87,000 per year.

The male/female split for risk analysts: 67% male, 33% female

 

7.  Bookkeeper/Payroll Manager/Accountancy Clerks

Bookkeepers are necessary to record and monitor a business’s financial health. Their role is to gather and record all the financial transactions (payments in and payments out), process invoices, and forecast and calculate profit and loss.

Average salary: Bookkeepers earn an average salary of £27,266 full-time and £11,693 part-time, which has increased an average of 4.1% year on year.  Bookkeepers often go on to become finance officers (£30,112 per year), financial managers (£66,868) or financial directors (£88,749).

It’s estimated that women are paid 9.7% less than men as bookkeepers, earning £12.00 per hour to a man’s £13.29 per hour.

The male/female split for bookkeeping roles is 33% male, 67% female.

 

8.  Events Co-ordinator

Becoming an events co-ordinator means you value (and are good at!) organisation and communication. Events co-ordinators can be involved at every level of the event planning process, from receiving enquiries to ensuring successful event delivery.

Average salary: An events co-ordinator starts on an average salary of £22,149. Once promoted, Conference and Events Managers earn an average salary of £30,875 per year. At the top of the ladder, Directors/Heads of Events earn an average salary between £50,000 and £70,000.

The gender pay gap is in women’s favour, possibly due to the higher proportion of women working in conferences and events. Women earn 6.5% more than men full-time.

The male/female split for events coordinators is: 36% male, 64% female

 

9.  Administrative Assistant

Working as an administrative assistant is a great gateway to a number of different industries. Most companies, regardless of size, rely on administrative assistants to ensure the day-to-day running of the business and to manage clerical duties, payroll, client interactions and front-of-house operations.

What’s the average salary?

Salaries in administration vary from industry by industry. The average salary across all industries for administrative assistants is £25,050 per year. NGO administrators earn an average of £27,250 and financial administrative assistants take home £26,067. If you continue your career in administration, business administrators can earn an average of £48,450 per year, which is nearly £13k above the UK average.

Administrative assistants have seen wages increase an average of 3.2% year on year. It’s estimated that the gender pay gap is 8.2% in favour of men.

 

10.  Scientific Laboratory Technician

Scientific laboratory technicians work with complex scientific equipment, often performing highly technical diagnostic tests that help scientists focus on the complex analytical processes involved with research. Technicians can work across a number of different scientific fields.

Average salary: Lab technicians start on a salary between £15,000 and £19,000. As you progress, the average salary is between £24,115 and £30,313 full-time. These wages are on the rise too, with scientific laboratory technicians seeing an increase of between 1.2 and 3.4% year on year.

Male/female split: 55% male, 45% female

Didn’t find your role? Check out the average salaries for more jobs, including director positions so you can plan your career trajectory.